Mumbai, March 10 (IANS) Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Ajit Pawar on Monday in the annual budget for 2025-26 has proposed the speedy infrastructure development in a bid to achieve the state government’s much ambitious target of $1 trillion economy by 2027-28.
The government hopes that the Rs 76,000 crore Vadhvan Port project will become a game changer to further boost the development. The third airport for Mumbai and the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train station will be established near the Vadhavan Port. The port will also be connected to the Samruddhi Mahamarg.
The work on Navi Mumbai International Airport in 1,160 hectares at Ulwe in Navi is 85 per cent complete and domestic flights will operate in April 2025.
Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport in Nagpur will be upgraded and modernised. At the Shirdi airport, the government has approved development works worth Rs 1,367 crore and the night landing facility will be started soon.
The passenger services from Belora airport in Amravati will start from March 31.
The Ratnagiri airport works worth Rs 147 crore are in progress while survey and exploration work of new airport at Gadchiroli is underneath. The government will provide necessary funds for expansion of Akola airport.
The Finance Minister said that Agro-logistic Hubs will be developed along Hinduṛhudayasamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Samridhi Mahamarg. This initiative will primarily benefit farmers from the Vidarbha and Marathwada regions.
Further, the Rs 86,300 crore Maharashtra Shaktipeeth Highway covering a length of 760 km will be undertaken and the land development is in progress.
Swatantryaveer Savarkar Versova Vandre Sea Link project, spanning 14 km between Bandra and Versova, at an estimated cost of Rs 18,120 crore is scheduled to be completed by May 2028.
Further, work for Pune to Shirur road spanning 564 km worth Rs 7,515 crore will be undertaken. Also 25 km road from Talegaon to Chakan including 4 elevated roads will be undertaken for which estimated expenditure is Rs 6,499 crore.
A total of 143.57 km of metro lines will be operational for the citizens of Mumbai, Nagpur and Pune metropolitan cities. A total of 64.4 km of metro lines, including 2 km in Pune and 23.2 km in Pune, will be operational in the next five years.
The development of Nagpur Metro, second phase is in progress which will cover a distance of 43.80 km costing Rs 6,708 crores. Metro work will be taken up soon-Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport to Navi Mumbai International Airport.
According to the finance minister, the work for the floating jetty at Kashid in Raigad district will begin soon.
A policy will be announced to provide financial incentives for modern, well-equipped boats to ensure safe travel from Gateway of India, Mumbai to Mandwa and Elephanta.
An externally aided project worth Rs 8,400 crore will be implemented in the coastal districts.
Moreover, the Maharashtra Sustainable Eco-Friendly Coastal Conservation and Management project has been proposed and the government has sanctioned Rs 158 crore for the same. The government will prepare Amritkal State Road Development Plan 2025 to 2047.
–IANS
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